Permanent deck sealing

The reason why you need to wait a month to seal your deck all boils down to the characteristics of wood.

Wood contains natural resins and oils that create a layer of defense from UV rays. As these break down, the wood is susceptible to weathering and damage. Therefore, in order for the wood deck material to take and hold sealer, the wood must dry out of these preservatives enough for the sealer to adhere properly.

Waiting about four weeks after a new deck is built to apply a sealer allows for some of the wood's natural oils to evaporate due to sun exposure, leaving small gaps for the sealer to better penetrate and stick. However, since it has only been about a month of evaporation, most of the wood's natural defense layer is still in place as well, which will help with the deck's lifespan.

How do you know that you have waited long enough?

How to stain a new deck for the first time

After your 30 days are up, try a simple test by pouring some water on the wood. If the water beads up, the wood is still too wet. On the other hand, if the water is easily absor

when can i seal my deck

when should i seal my pressure treated deck